So I am the newest addition to the Appetite team. Yey! As much as I love and enjoy working for the magazine, the tremendous increase in my intake of food on a daily basis, can be amusingly overwhelming! Thus last Thursday, after a long hard day’s work, I and three of my other officemates decided to drive up to Tandang Sora to play badminton, in our hopes to maintain weight, burn calories and build resistance. How’s that for a resolution? The two hour badminton session until 10pm drained the wits out of our bodies and then we finally headed to the Grilled Tomato restaurant in Tomas Morato for a late dinner. To nurse my famished tummy, I therefore felt uninhibited to order whatever I felt at the moment.
For drinks, I ordered the Milo Overload (P60), which turned out to be a huge glass of iced Milo topped with whipped cream and Milo chocolate powder. There was a selection of beverages at Grilled Tomato that ranged from softdrinks to iced yoghurt and flavored milk tea, but I tell you, you will never go wrong with good old fashioned Milo! It’s just by far the perfect thirst-quencher!
As a starter, I had pita bread (P15), and among the selection of dips, I chose to pair my bread with traditional hummus (P25). I was surprised at Grilled Tomato’s since it was very tasty and it possessed a hint of an oily, garlicky flavor, which was very appetizing—unlike the hummus of other Persian restaurants I’ve been to, which usually tastes bland and uninviting.
For my main course, I had the chicken korma meal (P 120). The dish comprised of a cup of java rice and a very generous serving of chicken drowned in spicy curry sauce, tomatoes and onions. Although it may not be one of Grilled Tomato’s best-sellers, I must say I honestly enjoyed it! Just make sure you eat it slowly or you just might choke on the spiciness of the curry!
Along with my chicken dish, I paired my main course with a plate of sautéed ox brain (P70). I have a strange fetish for exotic food, and thus decided to try out something not everybody would likely order. The ox brain, to my delight, was quite impressive—it was ample in amount and it surprisingly had a balut-like flavor. In addition, it was not malansa— it did not have a lingering spoiled taste (Plus points!). But the best thing about it is that it was sautéed in lots and lots and lots of garlic and onions! My side dish of ox brain served as a good complement to my viand of spicy chicken korma and my Milo.
Leaving the restaurant filled to the brim, I was positive that I gained back all the calories I had earlier lost that same night of badminton. But no regrets nonetheless! This affordable hole-in-the-wall Persian restaurant, Grilled Tomato, is my new find for this month! I cannot wait for more discoveries. I will keep you posted!
- Gravy Baby